Shadow
by Frodo's sister
Summary: This story is about Merry receiving a kitten for his birthday. He and his cousins play with him. The story is slightly AU. It is not slash. Sequal to A Visit to Hobbiton Constructive Critism instead of flames please.
1. Chapter 1

Shadow

Beta'd by Frodo the Jedi

Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit Tolkien does, and New Line Cinema owns the movies.

Merry was sitting in the parlor with his parents waiting for the Tooks to arrive. They were going to celebrate Merry's 11th birthday. Merry couldn't wait for them to come, especially Pippin. Pippin was only 2 years old, but Merry liked to play with him. He was like his "little brother" Merry never had. It had been about several months since he had last seen Pippin. He wondered if Pippin would even remember him. He hoped so. Except for his parents, he was closer to Pippin than anybody else, even Frodo. He was also good friends with Sam although their friendship did not get off to a good start. He wished that Frodo and Bilbo would come today, but he knew that they were visiting some dwarves who were passing by.

"I can't wait to see Pippin again, Mama," said Merry. "We are going to have so much fun today."

"That's great Merry," said Esmeralda. "His parents and sisters are coming too. Won't you be glad to see them?"

"Of course I will, they are a great family, and I will have fun with all of them" said Merry. "But Pippin is my favorite Took."

"What games are you going to play with them?" Saradoc asked.

"Hide and seek! I love hide and seek!"

"Hide and seek is a fun game, but remember that Pippin is only 2 and cannot be left alone at anytime," said Saradoc.

"We can play other games too like races and dragons and knights. We can also play with my toys."

"His parents are going to bring Pippin's toys over here," said Esmeralda.

"We can play with his toys too," said Merry.

"This is going to be a great birthday, but I wish Frodo and Uncle Bilbo would be able to come today."

"They would come here if they could, but they are visiting dwarves," said Saradoc. The dwarves don't come near the Shire all the time, and Bilbo is very fond of dwarves."

"I know dad. Frodo said that he and Bilbo are going to visit me as soon as possible, and they have presents for me."

"We have some presents for you too Merry, including a special one that you always wanted."  
"What is it? A new sled, a chess game board, a rabbit?"  
"We are not telling you ahead of time because we don't want to spoil the surprise for you," said Esmeralda.

"Please mama."

"No Merry."

At that moment there was a knock on the door.

"That must be them," said Esmeralda.

"I hope Pippin remembers me," said Merry.

They walked toward the door and Saradoc opened it. Standing on the other side was the Took family.

"Hi," said Englantine.

"Thank you for coming," said Esmeralda while she hugged Englantine.

"Happy birthday Merry!" Englantine said while she hugged him. "How old are you now?"

"Eleven."

Pearl hugged Merry, and said "Happy birthday Merry!"

"Thank you Pearl," said Merry.

"You must have grown a few inches since the last time we have seen you; you are getting really tall," said Paladin while he hugged Merry. One day you may even be taller than me."

Merry looked down and saw Pearl holding Pippin's hands.

"Merry!" Pippin shouted.

Merry bent down and picked up his little cousin and hugged him.

"How's my little Pippin?" Merry asked.

"Fine," Pippin answered.

"You are a smart little boy," Esmeralda said. "You remember Merry."

"I wemember him Auntie Esma elda. He's my favowit cousin."

"It's good to see you again Saradoc," said Paladin.

The family continued to greet each other with hugs.

"Come in, come in," said Saradoc.

The Took family entered the simile and placed their outerwear on hooks. They followed the Brandybuck family to the parlor.

"So how is your new sweater coming along?" Englantine asked Esmeralda just before they sat down on one of the couches.

"It's coming along fine," said Esmeralda. "Soon Saradoc will have a new warm sweater to wear."

The men sat down on another couch engaged in their own conversation.

"How did your harvest go, Paladin?" Saradoc asked.

"It went well. All the men and older boys helped with the harvest. We will have plenty of food during the winter months."

"What…" Saradoc began to ask, but he was interrupted by Merry.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Merry?"

"I'm going to take Pippin and the girls to my room to play with my toys?"

"Alright," said Saradoc.

Merry lead the Took children to his room where he showed them his new toys.

"Oh look, Pimpernel said. "Horses and buggies. I love horses and buggies."

"I love them too," said Pervinca. "Can we play with them, Merry?"

Merry nodded his head.

The girls started to play with horses and buggies.

"Animals!" Pippin shouted while he ran to a group of animals on the floor and started to play with them.

Merry joined Pippin in playing with the animals. He picked up a lion and showed it Pippin.

"Do you know what animal this is?"

"A wion."

"What sound does and wion make?"

"Waw! Waw!"

"Very good."

"How about this one?" Merry asked Pippin while he held a toy cow.

"A cow!"

"You are very smart. What sound does a cow make?"

"Moo."

Pearl was watching the younger children play with the toys. She felt that she was too old to play with toys because she was a tween. Her sisters were having horse and buggy races while Merry and Pippin were pretending the animals were fighting. After watching them for a few minutes, she noticed the large stuffed cat on Merry's chair in the corner of the room.

"Merry, aren't you kind of old for stuffed animals?"

"He's not too old for stuffed animals," Pimpernel objected. "It's not like he sleeps with them at night, do you?" she asked Merry.

"Of course not," Merry answered.

"Mewy is not too od?" Pippin said. "I have tuffed animaws too."  
"Can I see your toys?" Merry asked Pippin.

"Yes."

"Come on Pippin let's bring your toys in here so you can show them to Merry," Pearl suggested.

Pearl and Pippin left the room, and a few minutes later returned with a bag of toys. Pippin began to pull out a few stuffed animals, and he began to show Merry them.

"Tis is Marigod," he said to Merry while he showed him the stuffed mouse.

He next picked up a stuffed puppy. "Tis is Pounce."

He picked up his last stuffed animal.

"Tis is Pots."

"He means Spots," Pervinca said.

Pippin handed the stuffed fawn to Merry, and Merry looked at it.

"Our mother made that for him," Pearl said.

"Mommy knows how to make thins," said Pippin. "I wanna be wike mommy and make thins too," said Pippin.

The older children laughed.

"Why don't you show Merry your other toys?" Pimpernel suggested.

Pippin took a bunch of blocks out of the bag.

"These are my favowit toys."

"What are they?" Merry asked.

"Bocks!"

"Would you like to build something with the blocks," Merry asked Pippin.

"I wanna buid a house."

"Okay, let's build one," said Merry.

"I want to play with my dolls," said Pervinca.

Pervinca left the room and Pimpernel followed her. Merry closed the door behind them.

A minute later the door opened again revealing Englantine.

"Pearl we need your help with the dinner."

Pearl left with her mother.

The boys were having fun building a house with the blocks.

To be continued.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer and Beta: See First Page

A half hour later Pearl entered the room.

"Mama says that dinner is ready."

She picked up Pippin and walked out the room with Merry in tow.

When they entered the dinning room the others were sitting at the table. In the middle of the table was a golden brown roasted chicken with fried mushrooms all around it. On the other platters were fresh corn on the cob, broccoli, and smooth creamy and buttered mashed potatoes. There was also a loaf of bread with butter melted in it. Near the end of the table was a pitcher of fruit juice. The hot foods and newly made bread gave off pleasant smells. Pearl put Pippin on a chair next to their mother, and Merry sat down next to Pippin. Pearl went on the other side of the table and sat down next to her sisters.

"Let's dig in," said Saradoc.

Everybody helped themselves to the food and drinks while they were talking and laughing with each other. Merry and Englantine helped Pippin with his food. They gave him a plate of white meat with mashed potatoes, mushrooms and the rest of the vegetables. They also put a slice of buttered bread on a smaller plate. Pippin happily ate his food.

"Look, he eats more than me," said Merry.

"He does," Englantine agreed. She wondered how a very small child can eat so much.

"I'm hungwy," Pippin said. "I wan some cake?"

Esmeralda, Englantine, and Pearl cleared the table and left the room. A few minutes later they returned with a large white cake with vanilla frosting around it, and frosted flowers on top of it. In the middle of the cake were the words, Happy Birthday Merry written on it. There were also eleven lit candles on it. The cake looked sweet.

"Blow out the candles and make a wish, Merry," said Esmeralda.

Merry closed his eyes for a minute, and blew out the candles. Saradoc cut the cake and gave everybody a slice. Everybody enjoyed eating the cake and went for seconds.

An hour later everybody was back in the parlor again. It was time for Merry to open his presents.  
Merry opened his presents and received, toys, clothes, and other items.

"Wow!"

"Look at that new shirt!"

"Thank you Pearl."

"That's a great new set of checkers!"

"Look at that ball!"

"Thank you Uncle Paladin."

"I like that embroidered weskit."

"Thank you Aunt Englantine."

"A garden claw, what a good idea."

Merry continued to happily open his presents while his family continued to make comments. After a while all the presents were opened except for two of them.

"Pippin, why don't you give Merry your present now," said Pearl.

Pippin walked over to Merry and gave him a present.

"For me?" said Merry.

Merry tore the wrappings off the stuffed bird.

"What a beautiful bird!" Thank you Pippin he said while he hugged him.

"That is sweet of you Pippin," said Englantine.

"Mewy's my brudder. I give him a nice pesent."

Merry continued to admire the stuffed bird.

"Merry your mother and I have another present for you."

"Is it one of the presents I particularly want?"

"Yes," Saradoc answered.

Merry's parents left the room.

"What do you suppose it is?" Pimpernel asked.

"Maybe it's a new pony," said Pearl."

"Maybe it's a new kitten or puppy," Pervinca guest.

"I hope so, I wanted one for a long time," for a long time.

"Maybe it's a sled," said Pimpernel."

"Maybe it's a…." Merry began.

The parents opened the door with a cloth covered crate full of holes. They put the crate down, took the cloth off and opened the lid, and picked up the tiny charcoal colored kitten.  
Merry was speechless. He wanted a kitten for a long time and he is happy that his parents are finally giving him one. He walked over to his parents, and they handed the kitten to him.

"This is for you," said Esmeralda. "Happy birthday."

Merry hugged his parents, careful not to squash the kitten.

"Thank you mama, and dad; I wanted one for a very long time."

"We are giving one to you today because we know that you are now old enough to take care of it."

"Is it a boy or girl?" Pimpernel asked.

"A boy," Saradoc answered.

"We need to name the new kitten," said Pervinca.

"It's Merry's new pet; let him name it sweetie," said Englantine.

"His name is Shadow because he looks like a shadow," Said Merry.

The girls ran to the Shadow and began to pet him.

"He's so cute," said Pervinca while she petted his back.

"So adorable," said Pimpernel while she petted his side.

"You love having your ears scratched don't you," Pearl said while she lightly scratched his ears.

Pippin started to jump up and down.

"Kitty! Kitty!"

Pippin reached up and tried to pet the kitten. Merry bent down so Pippin could pet him.

"Hewo witto kitty," he said while he petted Shadow with his little hand.

"You like Shadow?" said Merry.

"I like him," said Pippin. "He's sof."

"Why don't you put the kitten down and let him play," Englantine suggested.

Merry put Shadow down and he began to romp around. He scampered to the wrappings, and ribbons, and pounced on them. He swatted them with his claws. He grabbed one of Merry's new toys, a stuffed squirrel, and wrestled with it.

"That's so cute," said Pervinca. "It looks like he is giving one of your new toys a hug.

"Kitty!" Pippin shouted. He ran to Shadow and pulled his tail.

"Meow!" Shadow cried. Shadow did not like having his tail pulled.

Englantine grabbed Pippin and picked him up.

"No, no, Pippin: you mustn't pull kitty's tail," Englantine corrected.

"Why don't you take the kitten outside?" Saradoc suggested.

"Alright dad."

He picked up Shadow.

"Come on Shadow; we are going outside to play."

"Make sure you dress warmly before you go outside," said Englantine to the children.  
Merry, Pimpernel, and Pervinca, put on their coats and hats and ran outside. Pearl, after putting her coat and hat on, put Pippin's outerwear on for him, held his hand, and walked outside with him.

When all the children were outside, Merry put the kitten down, and Shadow started to scamper around the yard. The children watched the kitten run around in the grass, hitting the grass stalks. He ran to a few wild flowers, and began to bat one back and forth. The children were having a lot of fun watching the kitten play. Pervinca took a sash out of her coat pocket, and started to move it around. Shadow began to attack the sash.

"Can I try?" Merry asked.

"Go ahead," said Pervinca while she handed Merry her sash.

He jiggled the sash while the kitten continued to swipe at it.

"I pay too," said Pippin.

He started to grab the sash, but Pearl stop him.

"What do you say Pippin?" Pearl asked.

"Umm!"

"Say, may I please play with the sash?" Pimpernel prompted him.

"May I pease pay wit the sash?" Pippin repeated.

"Very good, Merry said," while he handed the sash to the toddler.

Pippin ran around with the sash and giggled while Shadow ran after it.

"Let's play hide and seek," said Merry.

"I'll be it," said Pearl.

Pimpernel closed her eyes and counted to 50 while the children ran in different directions to find hiding places.

Merry grabbed Pippin's hands and said, "Come on Pip, you can hide with me."

"I hide wif Mewy!" Pippin shouted.

"Shush," Said Merry.

Merry picked up Shadow, and he and Pippin ran straight ahead to where the haystacks were.

"Wet's hide behide tat hay tack, Mewy," Pippin said while he pointed at the haystacks.

"Alright," said Merry.

Merry Picked up Pippin and ran towards the largest haystack. He and Pippin hid inside it.  
The girls meanwhile ran to the trees from different directions. Pimpernel hid behind an oak tree. A few seconds later Pervinca came to the same tree and stood behind it next to Pimpernel. She pushed Pimpernel a little and made room for herself behind the giant tree.

"Hey!" Pimpernel shouted in annoyance. "Go find your own hiding place!"

Pervinca ran off to the left and hid inside a vegetable patch. She was very careful not to step on any plants.

"48, 49 50…ready or not here I come!"

Pearl began to search for the younger children around the yard. The first person that Pearl found was Pimpernel.

"I never find a good place to hide," Pimpernel complained.

The next hobbit she found was Pervinca.

"You are so good at finding me," said Pervinca while she carefully walked out of the vegetable patch.

The last ones she found were Merry, Pippin, and Shadow. It took a while for her to find them because they found a good hiding spot.

"Whose turn is it to count?" Merry asked.

"Pimpernel, because I found her first."

"Can I take shadow to hide with me this time?" Pervinca asked.

Merry nodded his head.

The children continued to play hide and seek for another hour. Each of the children took turns hiding with Shadow.

After they finished playing hide and seek, they began to jiggle the sash in front of the kitten again. A few minutes later, a carriage stopped by Merry's home.

"Look," Pervinca said while she pointed at the carriage.

Merry recognized the carriage right away.

"It's Bilbo and Frodo!" Merry said excitedly.

He began to run towards the carriage.

"I thought they weren't coming Pearl," said. She ran behind him carrying Pippin in her arms.  
The other children ran towards the carriage too. Frodo and Bilbo stepped out of the carriage and hugged the children.

"Happy Birthday Merry!" said Bilbo while he hugged him. "It's so good to see you again."  
Frodo hugged Merry afterwards.

"I'm so glad to see you," Merry said.

"I'm glad to see you too," said Frodo.

Frodo and Bilbo hugged the girls.

"You are getting so big," Bilbo said to Pervinca. "And you too Pippin." He bent down and hugged him.

Frodo picked up Pippin and hugged him.

"How's my little Pippin?" Frodo asked.

"I fine Fodo." Pippin answered. "Mewy has a new cat!"

"It's great to see you again," said Merry. "I thought you weren't going to make it."

"Some dwarves wanted to meet you, so I bought them here," said Bilbo.

The three dwarves stepped out of the carriage, and Bilbo introduced them to the children.

"This is Ori, Nori, and Balin."

"Happy birthday," said Ori.

"Thank you," Merry said.

Merry picked up Shadow and everybody ran to the house.

"Mama! Dad! Look who's here!" Merry shouted excitedly.

The adults walked toward the door and greeted Bilbo and Frodo.

"It's great to see you again Frodo," Englantine said while she hugged Frodo.

"Who are your friends,Bilbo?" Saradoc asked.

Bilbo introduced his dwarf friends to Saradoc and the other adults.

"Welcome to our home," said Saradoc."

"Frodo, will you run to the carriage and get the presents?" Bilbo asked.

Frodo ran to the carriage.

"I'll help," said Nori who ran after them.

Frodo and Nori grabbed a bunch of presents and carried them inside. Merry had fun opening up more presents while everybody watched him, all of the gifts were dwarf made. One of the presents that Merry tore the paper off of was a chess board set.

"I love chess," said Merry.

"I'll play chess with you later on if you want," Frodo suggested.

"So tell us about your trip," Paladin, said to Bilbo.

"Frodo and I hiked to the woods where we met a group of dwarves…."

Everybody continued to enjoy themselves at Merry's party.

The End.


End file.
